Lacing-loop.



PATENTBD JAN, 28 1908.

Elm 877,564.

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We m ass as 476a vation of my improved lacing loop;

CHARLES A. HEIM, OF BROWNSVILLE, INDIANA.

LAGING-ILOOP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 28, 1908.

Application filed March 2].. 1907. Serial No. 363.730-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. HEIM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brownsville, Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in L'acing-Loops, of

hich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to lacing loops of the class adapted to the use of shoes or other articles and the objects of my improvement are to provide means for maintaining the quarters in closely fitting contact with the counter and tongue for excluding water or dust, to rovide, means adapted to engage with the ace for preventing excessive wrinkling of the counter and for maintaining it in proper position in -relation to the uarters; to provide means fof'maintaining t e lace entirely on one side of the member to which it is attached, and to provide a cheap and durable device which is eiiicient and will not injure the lacings. These objects and others are attained in the following described manner as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a front view of a shoe embodying my improvements; Fig. 2, a lon itudinal section, Fig. 3 a plan, Fig. 4 a side e evation, Fig. 5 an inverted plan and Fig. 6 a H0131}? elei 7 shows the prongs in clenched position on the under surface of the leather; Fig. 8 the front elevation of a holder provided with but one front clenching prong.

In the drawings, 1 represents the counter of an ordinary shoe, 2 the tongue, 3 the quarters, .4'the lacing hooks and 5 the lace or shoe string. Lacing loops o which may be substituted for the ordinary-eyelets for engaging the shoestring are positioned entirely on the outer surface of the quarters. One of said loo s may be attached to the outer surface of t e counter as shown in Fig. 1, for engaging the middle portion of the lace. Said loops or'eyes each consist of a triangular she ed piece of sheet metal which is formed wit similarpointed clenching prongs or tangs 11 and 13 extending in the same direction respectively from its apex and the extremities of its base portion 8. The brid e or middle ortion is curved longitudinally to form an mteriorly concave bearing 7, and the base ortion is curved laterally to form an interiorly convex bearin 12 for the sliding engagement therewith o the lacin or shoe string 5. Said tangs 13 may be su stituted by a single tang 14: which depends from the middle portion of wall 8 if desired, as shown in Fig. 8. Said loops or staple eyes may be secured to the outer surface of the leather by inserting the tangs therethrough and clenching them on the opposite side as shown in Figs, 4 and7. The shoestring 5 may be in serted through the eye holes in movable contact with thebearings 12 for lacing the adjacent quarters together and in closely fitting contact with the tongue and counter.

One of the loops may be secured on the counter just below the quarters and in the line of their separation as shown at 17 in Fig. 1 for engaging with the middle portion of lace '5 whereby the counter and quarters are yieldingly connected together and the tendency on the part of either to excessive wrinkling is materially obviated. It is desirable that the lace should not be entirely disengaged from the quarters for the removal of the shoe and the use of hooks 4 are therefore confined to the upper portion of the quarters. In the use of ordinary eyelets and the usual round or leather shoe strings as is used in heavy shoes by workingmen the portion of the strings between the quarters and the tongue form permanent creases in the tongue which injure the instep of the wearer. They also separate the quarters from the tongue sufficiently to admit the passage of dust or water to the interior of the shoe. By placing-the shoe strings entirely on the outside, the quarters are held in close contact with the tongue and with the counter for excluding dust or water and the obj ectional creases in the tongue are entirely obviated.

It is evident that different means may be employed for attaching a horizontal eye to the shoe. I do not therefore confine myself to the specific manner shown, and described but What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. As a new article of manufacture, a lacing loop consisting of a triangular shaped piece of sheet metal formed with a longitudinal curve and with similar pointed clenching tangs projecting respectively from its apex and from said base portion in a direction parallel with each other.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a lacing loop consisting of a triangular shaped piece of sheet metal formed at its corners with sharp clenching prongs, and having its body portion formed with a longitudinal bend and also With a lateral bendto form an inte- 4. As a new article ofrnanu'facture, a lacriorly convex WaILsaid pron 5 being extended ing loop consisting of a triangular shaped in thesame direction paralle with each other. iece of metal formed with a longitudinal 3. ,-As a new article of manufacture, an open bend and with an interiorly convex Wall b a 15 5 loop consistin of a triangular shaped p1ece lateral bend of its base portion, and provi ed of sheet metal terminating at its corners in with clenchingprongs projecting in the same clenching prongs and having its base portion. direction perpendicular to a common plane. curved laterally and its bridge portion curved CHARLES A. HEIM.

longitudinally said clenching prongs being Witnesses: 10 extended in the same direction-parallel with CLYDE KINDER,

each other. I I BARNEY A. SHOWALTER' 

